A regular yoga practice brings many benefits. Here are five benefits that are of particular interest to men are:

Social

Strength

Flexibility

Relaxation and mind-body connection

Functional fitness

1. Social

As 'Movember' 2017 approached - a month of awareness-raising about men's health issues - a recurring thought arose again: Men weren't well served in my yoga community. I decided to jump in and, in the name of Movember, start a men-only yoga class.

As a female teacer, I felt some trepidation - would men accept a female teacher for a men's class? And did I know enough to cater for men specifically? I've been teaching hatha yoga for 18 years, with a steady but thin stream of men all along, and my gender had never seemed to be an issue for them. In any case, any doubt I had fell away when I heard one new arrival say to the fellow next to him, "Isn't it great to be able to try this without being the only man in a roomful of women!" His colleague agreed. I realized it wasn't about me, it was about creating a comfortable space for men to try this female-dominated thing called yoga.

2. Flexibility

Ironically, the one reason men regularly cite as an obstacle to practicing yoga is a lack of flexibilty. But as a Yoga International article points out, "Men’s comparative inflexibility is not a reason for them not to do yoga; rather, it makes yoga even more important. And the good news is that, when embarking on a program of stretching, men seem to make gains in range of motion at a similar rate to that of their female counterparts."

After only three weeks in an introductory class, an athlete in his mid-20s said to me that he was stretching differently in his warm-ups now - he was thinking of relaxing the muscles he was trying to stretch, and felt much more supple for it.

So while it takes a while for those hamstrings to cooperate, simply buidling awareness can improve your chances of gaining greater flexibility, whether for sports or for life in general.

3.Strength

Men tend to have greater upper body strength than women, which influences what poses I might draw into a yoga class. On the other hand, in my experience, men seem to fight or force their way into poses to "achieve" a pose, rather than settling gently into it and working gradually from a manageable place. It is valuable to focus on the idea of finding a easier place to start, and to maintain a smooth, even breathing rhythm. That is a basic tenet of yoga anyhow, but helping men focus on the smooth breath can be of great benefit.

Quite a lot of core strength can sneak into a yoga class, which is very healthy - as my sporty 14 year old athletic son has observed, "if you have core strenth then you can use the strength in your arms and legs better." It doesn't take too long for the realisation to dawn that slower movements present their own challenges. Regularly moving through plank pose, for example, while breathing smoothly, takes some effort and cultivates strength of body and concentration of mind.

4. Relaxation and Mind-Body connection

All the men who signed up for that first 'Movember' term were over 50. They were curious about yoga, interested in the mind-benefits as well as the physical exercise, and most had a certain stiffness around the hips and hamstrings.

Recently, a rugby player in his early 20s joined the Yoga for Men class. He specifically wanted "more of the breathing" to help him relax, as well as his desire to strecth to complement his rugby game.

The college at which I teach a weekly yoga class usually has as many young men as women, many of them sportsmen. It's a big class and usually I assume they must be finding the class beneficial if they're coming back. Yesterday, two soccer players started telling me how they feel so relaxed, so different, after the class (which includes a short relaxation). For them, it has become a touchstone in the week. One of them said he missed the yoga very much during their training season, and was finding all the stiffness that had built up was slowing being released.

5. Functional Fitness

Functional fitness teaches muscle groups to work together.This valuable principle is present througout a yoga practice, and is useful to athletes and body builders who may work muscles in isolation or in a particular pattern repeatedly. Fuctional fitness can mean maintaining basic movements in older people when joint and muscle stiffness begins to threaten everyday activities like being able to reach up to a cupboard, bend to pick up something from the floor, and kneel to reach under the bed or play with the grandchildren.

Quite a lot of core strength can sneak into a yoga class, which is very healthy - as my sporty 14 year old athletic son has observed, "if you have core strenth then you can use the strength in your arms and legs better."

With the huge variety of movements, yoga - gentle though it may be - keeps all the joints moving and all these basic physical postures available.

If you'd like more information about Yoga for Men or yoga generally, please feel freet to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Below is an exerpt about yoga for men, from a Yoga International article about starting yoga aged over fifty:

Researchers have long-noted that women tend to be more flexible than men, a gender gap that is slight in preadolescence but increases toward seniority (when older women maintain greater range of motion in many joints than older men do). This difference may be due to a combination of muscle size, tendon elasticity, hormones, and the kinds of activities that men or women are more likely to engage in.

The fact that aging-related declines in flexibility appear to be joint-specific, with, for instance, the shoulder and trunk experiencing greater losses in range of motion than the elbows and knees, indicates that habitual joint usage patterns play a role in these losses.

Men’s comparative inflexibility is not a reason for them not to do yoga; rather, it makes yoga even more important. And the good news is that, when embarking on a program of stretching, men seem to make gains in range of motion at a similar rate to that of their female counterparts.

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What is Movember?

The Movember Foundation is a multinational charity that aims to raise awareness of and money for men's health. It was founded in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia. The annual November-long event is to grow a moustache to raise awareness of men's health, particularly prostate and testicular cancer, as well as mental health. "Move for Movember" promotes physical and mental health.

Why Yoga?

Yoga is an ancient practice that promotes mental and physical well being through deep and regular breathing. Dubbed "intelligent exercise", it is a full package of physical movement that cultivates flexibility, strength and balance, settles the nervous system, and promotes mental focus.

Why should Men do Yoga?

Every man has his reason. Younger athletes may find it promotes needed flexibility to guard against sports injury or to complement treatmenets to overcome injury. Men beyond competitive sports may find that yoga provides a fantastic physical challenge without the goal-keeping and competitive motivations. Men who never liked sports in the first place may find a practice where they can move at their own pace and find mental equilibrium at the same time. Some might find it gives them headspace to just be themselves.